


Blue Band-Aid

by AbsintheNightmare



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: All hail vampire leader Yunho, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Blood, Blood Drinking, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Light gore??? Idk pls read the notes, M/M, Mingi is Seonghwa's emotional support boy, Mood Whiplash, Multi, Temporary Character Death, The ships are tagged but they're really only there if you squint, seonghwa is sad, this is a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:29:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27272704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbsintheNightmare/pseuds/AbsintheNightmare
Summary: Hongjoong had never been comfortable with the idea of soulmates, and no matter how hard Seonghwa tried, it was clear they couldn't make this work.He couldn't live like this.So he had to seek help from somewhere.That somewhere ended up being a vampire coven.
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang, Kim Hongjoong & Jeong Yunho, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Park Seonghwa & Song Mingi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 93





	Blue Band-Aid

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there, welcome to the horrible mess of what happens when I decide to combine vampires and soulmates into a trainwreck cocktail!  
> This is seriously the longest one-shot I have ever written... how did this even happen? I hope you're prepared for mood whiplash so intense that there will be marks...
> 
>  **Quick Warning:** At one point, there's a scene of teeth-related horror. It's not overtly graphic, but I thought I should mention it, just in case.
> 
> Happy Halloween, hope you enjoy this <3

Mingi knocked on the door twice before entering. It was an unnecessary act, but he did it nonetheless, simply to signal he was finally present. If there was any reaction from the occupant of the bedroom, he didn’t hear it, even as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. 

The room felt cold, it always had felt like that to him. There was too much space and too little things to fill it, even with the enormous bed in the middle. Where he found the owner of the room lying in a fetal position. He sat down next to him.

"Hey."

Seonghwa shifted a little but didn't even lift his head. Mingi thought he heard a quiet sob. It wouldn't have been a surprise.

"I saw the news", he said quietly, not really knowing how else to start.   
"I- I'm so sorry…"

He had been just sitting at the library since morning, trying to get through all his essays he needed to return in a few weeks. At some point he had gotten distracted and ended up on his phone, scrolling through social media. It was then that he had seen the news article. There was no way he could have gone back to his normal daily routine after that.

_ A young artist meets an untimely, violent end. Kim Hongjoong, 23, found dead in an alleyway. _

Mingi had read the article carefully. It was a credible source, with as many details as there usually was in similar kinds of news. Who, when and where. Hongjoong had been found from an alley, in a quiet area. And it was already made very clear that there was a reason to suspect a crime. While the cause of death had not yet been made public, there had been a police statement that on the body there had been signs of violence. He had been killed. 

That would have been on the news anyway, but it would have been likely that Hongjoong’s name wouldn’t have been mentioned if it weren’t for Seonghwa and their... presumed relationship.

After reading the article he had gathered his belongings and left the library immediately. He had needed to get to Seonghwa. To see how he was holding up. As he had suspected, not very well, if the silent crying, only given away by the way his body was shaking, and the death grip the man had on his phone were of any indication. Mingi reached out, gently fishing the device out of Seonghwa’s hand and replacing it with his own hand, allowing him to hold it. Seonghwa’s hands looked small compared to his. 

Mingi didn’t know much about soulmates, seeing as he didn’t have one himself. But losing one, even in a strange case like Seonghwa and Hongjoong, must be beyond painful. 

Mingi didn’t really even know Hongjoong that well, despite spending so much time with Seonghwa and being close friends with him. The short man wasn’t really ever around and the rare times Mingi saw him, he seemed polite but fairly distant. As if he was trying to have as little ties to anything that had to do with Seonghwa. Going as far to cover his soulmate markings. A ridiculous habit that Seonghwa had eventually adopted as well, to humor him or make his life slightly easier. As Seonghwa was somewhat of a public figure, a heir to a large company and very sought after, naturally people were interested in who his soulmate was as well. 

Only for that person to turn out to be a tiny artist who had very little in common with a beautiful rich kid and who seemed to absolutely despise the entire idea of soulmates.

Mingi maybe felt a little bad for Hongjoong as well, but he couldn’t help but mildly resent him at the same time, after he had seen how much Seonghwa had done to make his life easier, to accommodate his wishes. Everything from promoting his art exhibit to agreeing to keep him out of as many social gatherings as he could. Even when it meant that he would have to be there alone where people would ask invasive questions and fawn over their soulmate status. And wonder why this soulmate wasn’t even present.

Mingi turned his head to see the blue band-aid on Seonghwa’s neck. Even now he was covering the two small stars that had been adorning his neck for years, a habit he had picked up from his difficult soulmate. When he had asked about it, Seonghwa had told him that Hongjoong had always been covering his marks, since their appearance. And that he had started doing it as well so that curious people would see it as a cute quirky couple thing instead of one of them trying to hide the fact that they were supposed to be together. 

Seonghwa had done so much and Mingi wasn’t sure whether Hongjoong had ever even thanked him once. For a single, horrible moment he cursed at the man internally for having the audacity to go and get himself killed. For causing his friend so much grief, even if the situation wasn’t ideal for either of them. He forgot about that thought as Seonghwa finally sat up, only to lean against his chest while trying to hold back another wave of tears. Very carefully Mingi pulled him into a comforting hug. 

He heard Seonghwa’s phone start vibrating on the bedsheets and turned his head to have a look.

”Your mother’s calling”, he informed, gently massaging Seonghwa’s upper back with his fingers. He heard him draw a shaky breath.

”Can you answer for me?” he asked, the words muffled as he spoke right into Mingi’s hoodie.  
”I don’t think I can handle talking to her about this right now...”

”Don’t worry, I can do it.”

Mingi picked up the phone and answered the call. Seonghwa’s mother seemed to be in a serious shock as well, if her tone was of any indication.

”Hello, it’s Mingi speaking... yes, I’m with him right here... he’s not doing so good- no we haven’t talked much yet... Yes, I will look after him for now, don’t worry... I don’t know, I’ll ask... no, it’s no problem.”

Briefly he wondered if Hongjoong had disliked Seonghwa’s family for so insistently inserting themselves into his life, or rather dragging him into their lives. While they were nice, even Mingi could see that their never-ending enthusiasm in finding their son’s soulmate and all the expectations put on that person would be incredibly off-putting. Especially for someone like Hongjoong. To Seonghwa’s credit, he had tried his best to go slow, carefully trying to ease the other man into the thought of including him in his life but there was only so much he could have done. It was impossible to hide anything from the Park family for long.

Fortunately, Seonghwa’s mother seemed to settle down at least a little as she heard that Mingi was looking after Seonghwa, he tried his best to subtly get through the message that they should let him grieve in peace for now and only contact if the police wanted something from them. Since it seemed that there would be criminal investigation ahead. At that Seonghwa’s mother seemed to get more fired up, vowing to do everything she could to make the police work as fast and efficiently as possible, to get to the bottom of this. 

They closed the call as she thanked him for being there for her son. Mingi only hummed in reply and put the phone down. Seonghwa was playing with the hem of his shirt, his face still pressed against Mingi’s chest. 

”Did the police call you?”

Mingi felt the tiny nod.

”I woke up to that”, Seonghwa mumbled.   
”I can’t- Mingi, why did this happen? Who would ever want to hurt him?”

He had no answer to that. While he didn’t really know Hongjoong, to Mingi he didn’t seem the type who would get himself into serious trouble. Into a social media shouting match or a small scale scandal at some high class outing where he would feel out of place, at most. But nothing that would end up with him getting murdered. Hongjoong wasn’t stupid, that much was clear. 

Something seemed strange about this. But Mingi didn’t say that out loud. Instead he held Seonghwa tight as his friend burst into heartbreaking sobs once more and allowed him to get his hoodie wet with his tears. 

***

For a club that seemed like it wasn’t advertising very heavily and that didn’t have a line outside, it sure was packed. That Hongjoong noticed the very second he passed the bouncer who didn’t, surprisingly, start interrogating him about his age. Guess he looked old enough for once. He even seemed to get an approving look at his outfit. 

He had dressed up nicely, but this night was not about having fun. He had to get help. 

Hongjoong waded further into the crowd, trying to take in his surroundings. The dance floor was crowded as the dark sound of the music filled the air, the bass rumbling through his body. He could make out a couple of crowded tables on the other side, close to the bar. 

He was sure he had come to the right place, but it seemed like it wouldn’t be easy to find out the person he was looking for. Especially since Hongjoong had no idea what he even looked like, or whether he would be here tonight. But he had done his research carefully.

There had been whispers and rumors of a coven of vampires frequenting the club, some even saying it was owned by them. 

Hongjoong had at first been skeptical, but then reminded himself that if soulmate markings were an existing concept, vampires didn’t seem that implausible either. And he knew the former to be true, as much as he’d have liked to deny it. Subconsciously, he ran his gloved fingers over the right side of his neck. 

The existence of vampires seemed like sort of a public secret. People knew about it, but never said anything out loud. If you looked away, they weren’t there. He didn’t know how it was possible, but somehow it seemed like there was a society of creatures of the night living alongside normal humans, and they were simply allowed to stay that way. 

Not that finding information had been exactly easy. He’d had to use all of his information gathering skills he had ever learned and to circle around the different nightlife hotspots to even hear a snippet of the rumors of a coven operating on the area and what kind of person their leader was.

That’s how desperate he was to get out of his situation. If he had tried to explain it to anyone else, they would have told him this would be stupid and certainly an overkill. There would be other options, this could be dangerous and so on. That he was selfish to even think of such a plan. 

That he may be, but Hongjoong couldn’t live like this. That much was clear. 

He made his way to the bar and pulled a chair, ordering himself a beer as the bartender with bright green hair greeted him. For a second he thought of asking outright but decided against it. Perhaps it was better to have a look around first, to see if there was someone else who could lead him on the right track. 

How could you even tell a vampire from a regular person if they weren’t about to pull their fangs on you? Hongjoong wished he had more information on everything. But he had felt like he couldn’t wait much longer. He had to act, to do something. He needed a way out. 

Time seemed to pass at a torturous pace as he took small sips of his drink, watching the people on the dancefloor and on nearby tables. Many of them glamorously dressed, but with a clear alternative or darker edge than what one would have seen on the more mainstream nightclubs. While Hongjoong wasn’t much of a nightlife person, he found himself appreciating the scene. It felt comfortable. 

Yet no sight of what he was looking for. Not yet.

Until someone sat right next to him, pulling their chair real close. 

”Hey there, beautiful.”

Hongjoong tore his gaze away from the couple dancing close by to see the person speaking. A gorgeous young man, around his height and dressed in tight pants and a sleeveless shirt revealing toned arms. Running a hand through black hair, moving it away from his face to reveal a pair of sharp-looking tight-lined eyes.

”Hello stranger”, Hongjoong replied nonchalantly. The man was attractive, but he wasn’t here looking for company. He didn’t mind a friendly chatter, however. 

”I noticed your hair all the way from the other side”, the stranger said, flashing a sweet smile.  
”It looks really pretty.”

It did. Hongjoong had dyed it only a week ago, the electric blue looked great on him. Gave his whole look a little edge. While his in-laws-to-be likely wouldn’t have minded too much, he could imagine their social circles disliking it. Which had only made him want to do it more.

”Thanks. Yours looks quite nice too”, he nodded. 

”Aawww, thank you! I’m Wooyoung, by the way”, the stranger, no longer a stranger but Wooyoung, replied, his smile shining even brighter. Somehow that seemed to be possible.  
”And you?”

”Hongjoong.” 

The bartender swung by them again, Wooyoung ordered himself a drink. Hongjoong considered doing so as well but decided against it, he still had the remains of his beer left. 

"So, what do you do? You don't really strike me as a business student", Wooyoung asked when the glass was placed in front of him. 

"I paint", Hongjoong replied.   
"And try to fight fate. How about you?"

"Mm, a lot of different little jobs, depending. Most of the time I just dance and chat up with cute boys", Wooyoung grinned.   
"Have I seen your paintings somewhere?"

"It might have been on the news once or twice", Hongjoong shrugged. 

"Ooh, a rising star." 

"Or a quickly fading one."

He wasn’t quite famous yet. Lately, his work had gained more attention, thanks to some promotion Seonghwa had helpfully provided. He appreciated it, but the thought that people only took interest because of who he was apparently dating made his skin crawl.

"You should have more faith in yourself." 

"I do, but you never know." 

They made some more small talk, Wooyoung complimented his outfit some more. His demeanor was slightly flirty, but not overly pushy. Hongjoong appreciated that. There however was something slightly off about him, something Hongjoong couldn’t quite place. But considering what he was looking for, it might actually be a good thing. 

”Hm? What’s this?” 

Wooyoung pointed at the side of his neck. Automatically Hongjoong touched it, running his fingers over the blue band-aid. 

”Did you hurt yourself?” Wooyoung asked, raising his brows. Hongjoong eyed him carefully. This was his chance.

”Perhaps I got bit by a vampire”, he joked but kept his gaze at Wooyoung’s face, observing his reaction. Wooyoung’s brows shot up even higher in surprise, his smile faltering for a fracture of a second. 

"Oh, you believe in vampires?" he asked in a tone people used when they tried to sound like they had no idea of the subject at hand. Hongjoong was sure he had what he was looking for right here. Time to push. He brought his glass to his lips, finishing his beer.

"I believe I'm looking at one right now."

He had struck gold. Wooyoung's mouth fell open as he stared at him, some strange color seeming to flash in his eyes. Or maybe it was the strobe light from the dance floor. Hongjoong resisted the urge to lean closer, just to see if there were actual fangs in Wooyoung's mouth, before it was snapped shut. 

"What gave me away?" he asked, picking up his drink and eying Hongjoong suspiciously over it.   
"Are you some kind of hunter, Hongjoong? Or perhaps into getting bitten? Not kinkshaming, of course, I totally get the appeal, it can feel really good." 

"Neither", Hongjoong answered quickly.   
"But I am looking for someone. Do you know Jeong Yunho?"

Wooyoung, who had been about to take a sip, paused and stared at him for what felt like ages (but from the song playing in the club Hongjoong could count that it was actually only for about seven seconds). The longer the silence got, the more certain he was that the answer was yes. And eventually it was confirmed.

"Why are you asking me about Yunho?" Wooyoung finally took his sip of the cocktail he had ordered. Hongjoong shifted on his seat. 

"Because you seem to know him, and I need his help", he said. It was probably better to be honest. And he hadn't even thought of a convincing lie. All hope he had for his plan to work was that Wooyoung would agree. He would have to. Hongjoong wasn’t too proud to beg. 

“What kind of help?”

He found his fingers gliding over the band-aid once again.

“It’s… a bit complicated.”

Wooyoung blinked, once, twice, then emptied his glass in one go. 

”You’re lucky you came to me then”, he hummed, the charming smile finally returning to his face.   
”Imagine if you had happened to stumble upon some other vampire who was not as close to Yunho as I happen to be... and who also hadn’t fed in a while.”

I could have made that work as well, Hongjoong thought briefly. 

”So you can help me get to talk to him?” he asked to be sure. Wooyoung nodded.

”I am part of Yunho’s coven”, he said.  
”You’re cute, and he likes to help a distressed damsel every now and then. Besides...”

He hopped off the bar chair. 

”Even if you were here to try to hurt him or us, you’re just a human. We can just tear you to shreds if you try anything funny”, his voice was carefree but Hongjoong shivered as he saw the serious look in the vampire’s eyes. He slid off his chair.

”Good thing I have no such intentions”, he said. 

”Then you have nothing to worry about”, Wooyoung laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.   
”Let’s go meet the others.” 

Hongjoong raised his brows.

”Are we going far?” he asked, to which the other shook his head. 

”Just upstairs. To the VIP. Not that it’s used by anyone other than the coven members, it’s kind of our usual hangout spot and the place where anyone who knows us looks first.”

Wooyoung pulled out his phone and started typing something. Hongjoong took another look around. The crowd on the dance floor had grown, the music had switched to something a little more upbeat. If this was where a coven of vampires hung out, maybe they usually picked out their... prey, here as well? 

He almost startled when Wooyoung moved, pulling him along. 

”I told them I’m bringing a guest, they’re expecting us”, he said, leading him past the bar and to small stairs that had another bouncer standing in front of them. The man seemed to instantly recognize Wooyoung and didn’t pay any mind to Hongjoong either, simply letting them pass. Hongjoong climbed the stairs after the vampire, trying to control his nerves as an uneasy feeling spread in his stomach. He was about to enter a vampire coven’s den. Maybe Wooyoung was lying to him and he would end up as a meal. 

Then again, it would mean an escape as well. Just not one that he had planned and not one he had control over. 

At the top of the stairs stood a door with no label, but it obviously led to the VIP room. Wooyoung raised his hand to knock but the gesture was useless, as the door was pulled open immediately. 

”You stomp like an elephant”, the person opening the door chuckled, brushing away his red bangs from his face. 

"Hello to you too, Jongho", Wooyoung stuck out his tongue playfully, to which the other smiled back.  
"I brought Hongjoong here with me, he wants to talk to Yunho."

Hongjoong tried his best to relax his shoulders as Jongho's gaze moved to him and as that smile morphed into a more serious expression. Jongho was quite well-built, it felt like he could snap Hongjoong like a toothpick if he said or did something suspicious, even without the help of a vampiric super strength. Was that a real thing? It probably was a real thing.

"You got any weapons on you?" Jongho asked. He must be something akin to a bodyguard. Hongjoong shook his head.

"Do I look like it?" he couldn't help saying.   
"And even if I did, I don't think it would be much help for me."

Luckily, Jongho didn't seem like those overtly serious and aggressive bodyguards Hongjoong was used to seeing in movies and sometimes in real life as well these days. Some of the people Seonghwa and his family associated with had a lot of protection around them, and none of them felt any need to be friendly. 

"You're right, it wouldn't", the vampire hummed, amused.  
"Come in."

He stepped aside, allowing Wooyoung and Hongjoong to enter the room. It wasn’t the biggest space, but it was at least very clean, similarly furnished and decorated as the club downstairs but Hongjoong did notice that the large couches and a few chairs looked much more comfortable, and the lighting was less harsh. He could also see that besides Jongho there were three others in the room, sitting on those couches. Or more like laying on them. Hongjoong’s attention was immediately stolen by one of them. 

He was tall and handsome, but his face was at the same time strangely youthful, almost innocent-looking. Maybe it was the peachy pink hair, Hongjoong thought, though the color suited him incredibly well. Everyone present seemed to favor dark clothing and he was no exception, he wouldn’t have looked out of place among all the other people at the club. He would have stood out though, definitely. Even when seemingly relaxed, his presence seemed fitting for a king. 

It was then that Hongjoong was certain he had found Jeong Yunho. He tore his gaze off of the man before he would get caught staring and took a look at the other two. A pretty blonde man with his hair on a small ponytail sat next to whom Hongjoong presumed was Yunho. Unlike the former, his posture seemed much less relaxed, and his eyes were directed straight at Hongjoong. He wasn’t sure that was a good sign. 

The other man, whose hair was dark like Wooyoung’s, lay on the couch on the left, his head rising slightly to look at them. Hongjoong watched as his cat-like eyes narrowed slightly and his lips curved up to a delighted smile when Wooyoung ran straight to him. 

”You weren’t gone for long”, he commented.   
”Missed me?”

”All the time”, Wooyoung quipped as he took his spot beside the man and pressed a quick peck to his lips.   
”You should have come downstairs with me!”

The man chuckled at the other’s playful whining. 

”Tired. And you came back so quick anyway.”

”Only because we have a guest.”

At those words, everyone’s attention was at Hongjoong again. He tried not to let it affect him too much, but it was hard. He was standing in the middle of the room, there were five sets of vampire eyes staring at him and he was half-expecting someone to pounce at him any moment and sink their teeth into him. 

”So”, he raised his gaze as Jeong Yunho finally spoke.   
”Wooyoung told us you wanted to meet me. But I have no idea who you are.”

It was a cue that he should introduce himself. He tried to force himself to relax, with weak results. 

”I’m Kim Hongjoong, I’m an artist”, he said, resisting the urge to cower underneath the inspecting gazes. He was rewarded with a friendly smile.

”Pleased to meet you. I am Jeong Yunho, the leader of this coven”, Yunho introduced himself and gestured towards the others.  
”Wooyoung you’ve met, but here we have Yeosang, San and Jongho.”

Each of them nodded at him as their name was mentioned, with San flashing him a smile and Jongho raising his hand in greeting. Yeosang’s face stayed stoic as he kept staring at him at Yunho’s side. It was a little unnerving but Hongjoong tried not to let it show. He nodded back at each of them before placing his attention on Yunho again. 

”So, what brings you here?”

Here was his chance, and Hongjoong suddenly found explaining his situation incredibly difficult.

”Um, I... I need...” he paused, cursing internally as the words didn’t want to come out.  
”I need help.”

"Hm?" Yunho’s head perked up, but it wasn’t because of what he said, that he knew immediately. Instead the coven leader glanced aside at the blond man fidgeting next to him.

"Is something wrong, Yeosang?"

Hongjoong felt small shivers of fear run down his spine as he saw Yeosang still stare at him. His eyes seemed to almost glow. Hongjoong knew what it meant even before the other said anything.

"I'm hungry", Yeosang mumbled, his voice surprisingly deep. He covered his mouth and nose with his palm, but his eyes never left Hongjoong.  
"I'm sorry, you just smell really good."

Hongjoong shifted uncomfortably. While the words sounded like a compliment, they couldn't bode well for him. Even if he was certain he'd get his blood sucked out sooner or later, no matter whether his plan was a success or not. It wasn’t something he exactly looked forward to. Yunho chuckled, reaching with his hand to pet the other vampire's hair affectionately. 

"It's alright. I know it's still hard for you to control it", he replied softly.   
"You can drink from me, alright? Does that sound good to you?"

Yeosang finally tore his eyes off Hongjoong - of which said man was very relieved - and nodded, quickly moving to climb up to the taller vampire’s lap. Hongjoong took a quick glance aside. He noticed both San and Wooyoung were once again paying attention to what was happening instead of focusing on each other, as they watched with looks of both affection and something resembling envy. Jongho scoffed at them. 

”Don’t be like that, he can’t control himself as well as you two yet”, he reminded them. 

”We know”, Wooyoung stated, sighing.  
”But Yunho is so tasty...”

”And you are insatiable”, Yunho quipped with a good-natured laugh, before adjusting Yeosang in his lap and offering him better access to his neck. His gaze flicked back to Hongjoong, who stood there, watching the banter unfold.

”Sorry about this”, he said, despite not sounding very apologetic.   
”Yeosang here is our newest addition and quite recently turned, it takes a while until you get your thirst under control.”

It sounded almost like he was supposed to remember this information later, as if Yunho knew what he was about to ask of him. Hongjoong simply nodded, his eyes fixated on what was happening in front of him. Yunho let out a soft grunt as Yeosang dug in, and even Hongjoong could smell the blood in the air. The three other vampires followed as well, with Wooyoung licking his lips and San twitching slightly. Jongho seemed to be in better control of himself, but even he seemed to tense a little and his eyes never left the act unfolding in front of them. Hongjoong watched Yeosang’s Adam’s apple bob as he took small, slow gulps, the noise thankfully getting halfway buried under the faint noises coming from downstairs. All the while Yunho was holding the smaller vampire carefully, one hand playing with his hair affectionately. Even without the sound there was something about the act that felt oddly intimate, Hongjoong suddenly feeling like he was intruding and witnessing something he wasn’t supposed to. But no one had told him to look away either, if one didn’t count Yunho’s apology, like they were expecting him to be uncomfortable with the sight of someone drinking blood. Which, he was, but for a different reason than they probably thought. It felt like something way more private than he had expected.

Would he do something like that as well? Wooyoung had said it could feel really good...

It only lasted for a few minutes, but it felt like forever. Eventually Yeosang pulled back, quietly thanking Yunho. Hongjoong winced at the grotesque sight of his blood-covered mouth when he turned his head. Reminding him what actually had happened in front of him. 

Would that be what he would look like?

”Ah, Sangie’s so messy!” Wooyoung exclaimed as he saw the other’s face. Yeosang climbed down from Yunho’s lap, shooting a quick apologetic glance at Hongjoong. He was about to take back his seat but was quickly snatched to sit alongside Wooyoung, who seemed eager to get even the smallest drop of what had been offered. Hongjoong looked away as Wooyoung’s tongue slipped out to clean the blood from Yeosang’s lips, and from the sound of bodies shifting it seemed like San had joined in. Yunho’s blood must be delicious to them. He looked at the man in question, who looked back, his lips curved up to a fond smile. 

”Now, shall we get back to you and why you’re here?” he asked. Hongjoong nodded, trying to find his voice. 

”Yes, um...” now, how to ask for it without seeming too blunt?  
”I’m kind of curious... is this your entire coven?”

Yunho let out a chuckle so small Hongjoong almost missed it entirely.

”I have some other people working for me”, he said.   
”However, these four are the ones I keep by my side, as they’re the only ones that I personally have sired.”

Hongjoong turned his head again to look at the other vampires. Yeosang had moved to lay across both Wooyoung and San’s laps, sated and his face considerably less bloody than it had been a while ago. The other had done a thorough job cleaning him up. Jongho had returned to his seat on the third couch, his eyes fixed on the screen of his laptop. It was as if all four of them were ignoring their conversation on purpose, to give an illusion of privacy. 

All of them had been turned into vampires, by this one man. There was probably a story behind each of them.

”You’re wondering if you could join in.”

Hongjoong startled at the sudden statement. Yunho’s smile hadn’t moved anywhere.

”How did you-”

”You said you need help, didn’t you? You’re looking to be turned. Why else would you be looking for a vampire coven?” Yunho pointed out. Hongjoong inhaled quietly. He was entirely right. That was his reason. He nodded. 

”It’s not a light decision, but I think you know that already”, Yunho continued, his gaze turning more intense. Hongjoong suddenly wished he had a chair. He felt like he kept swaying on his legs, it was hard to stay still on his spot. He shifted his weight on the other leg. 

”I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t already thought of other options”, he replied. There were options, a lot of them, but many of them wouldn’t work as well, and the rest were too risky or difficult to pull off. This was on the risky and hard side as well, but if it worked...

Yunho nodded.

”I see. However, I don’t turn just anyone”, he said.   
”So before I can give you an answer, I want to know why you’re doing this.”

He gestured to his side invitingly. There was more than enough space for Hongjoong and when it was made clear that he didn’t have to stand there anymore like he was being interrogated, he took the invitation and sat down next to the vampire. 

”I need to disappear”, he started.  
”But I don’t think I can simply just leave town or anything... I need it to be so that absolutely no one will look for me.”

”You need to fake your death?” Yunho filled in the blank.   
”There are other ways to do that than getting turned into a vampire.”

”Not ones that I have the resources to pull off”, Hongjoong claimed.   
”And... I think I have to actually die, even if it’s just temporary.”

Yunho stayed silent, until his eyes fell to his neck, noticing the blue band-aid. He raised his fingers, reaching for it. 

”Sorry, can I have a look?”

Hongjoong bit the inside of his cheek. If there was one situation where he could be persuaded to tear off the band-aid, this was probably it.

”Go ahead.”

Yunho reached to touch him. Cold fingers worked quickly to tear off the band-aid in a second, revealing two small stars, each colored with beautiful gold that had the tiniest of glow to it. Hongjoong felt weirdly exposed as he felt Yunho’s gaze locking on his soulmate marks. He felt... vulnerable. It had been a while since he had been made to show them to anyone. Even Seonghwa had started to mimic his habit of covering them...

”How about...” Yunho paused, as if realizing something.   
”How about you tell me everything? Why do you want my help?”

Hongjoong did. 

He told Yunho everything. His lifelong discomfort with the whole soulmate idea, how he had found his soulmate when Seonghwa had visited his art exhibition by chance… and how, despite all the assurances from him that he would respect Hongjoong's wishes, he was still expected to fall into a role he didn't want. Granted, it wasn't all Seonghwa's fault, not at all. While he had very little in common with some pretty rich boy who had decided to pursue his soulmate now that he finally had found him, Seonghwa had been nothing but nice to him and gone to great lengths to make him more comfortable. But it was obvious, from every word he heard falling from the mouths of the Park family or their associates, that people were assuming they were the perfect couple, it was their fate.

He had never liked the idea, and had been dreading it from the very first moment his marks manifested. Despite that, he had tried to put up with it for some time. He had allowed Seonghwa into his life, take him on dates, meet his family and mingle among his social circles. But it had just become clearer that he couldn't live like this. It wasn't going to work out like everyone believed. He would be miserable and he couldn't make Seonghwa happy either. It wasn't fair for either of them.

Yunho never once interrupted him as he laid out his entire story, simply sitting there listening to him, his eyes never leaving Hongjoong. Even when he finally got to the end, the vampire stayed quiet. The longer the silence went on, the more antsy Hongjoong got, trying his hardest not to squirm.

”I... I know it sounds really selfish and stupid, but I... I can’t live like this. I just can’t.” 

”Have you actually talked with Seonghwa about this? Told him how you really feel?” Yunho finally asked.

”Of course I have, many times”, Hongjoong tried his best to hold in his frustration.  
”But it’s like... no matter how hard I try to explain and no matter how hard he tries to be supportive, I don’t think he will ever really understand. And I know everyone around him will never understand.”

Of course they wouldn't. For fated soulmates to not end up together, that was almost unheard of. Every time Hongjoong had voiced his issues with the whole idea, he had been shut down, usually with a " _ you'll come around when you meet them, don't worry _ ". He had heard it so much he almost had started to believe it. Almost. He had always been very stubborn. And when he had met his soulmate, it had been both a moment of triumph and despair. Former for being right and the latter for… also being right and realizing that he truly wouldn't ever feel any different about the matter. 

He rubbed the tiny stars with his fingers, feeling naked without the band-aid. 

”Please... will you help me?” he pleaded, his voice dropping almost to the level of a whisper. Yunho’s face remained unreadable as he studied him, probably trying to make his decision.

”What do you guys think?”

Hongjoong almost jumped in surprise at the words. Suddenly he was once again made very aware of the presence of the four other vampires - all of who stared at them. While they had been looking like they had been ignoring their conversation, it now became obvious to Hongjoong that in reality, they had been paying close attention. 

The corners of Yunho’s mouth turned upwards.

”I understand this is a very difficult and painful situation for you. And I want to help”, he said.  
”But, if I’m going to turn you, that means you will join our coven and I want to hear from everyone else as well before I can agree.”

Hongjoong bit his lip as he felt four pairs of eyes on him. Yet he nodded, sitting still and waiting until they would give him an answer. And trying to think of an effective way to plead his case again in case he wouldn’t like that answer. 

***

”I want to remind you that this will not be pleasant. It’s going to hurt and there’s nothing either of us can do about it.”

”It’s okay.”

He had gotten the approval of Yunho’s entire coven. In fact, Wooyoung and San had seemed quite enthusiastic to welcome a new person to their ranks. Yeosang and Jongho hadn’t objected either, but the former had expressed that he should either inform his soulmate about what he was going to do, or figure out a way to make it up to him later for likely causing him a lot of grief. Yunho had agreed.

Hongjoong had agreed.

But he couldn’t tell Seonghwa anything beforehand. That was a conversation he was not able to have. Seonghwa would find a way to stop him or talk him out of it. 

He had to do this first.

Hongjoong knew it was a terrible thing to do. Seonghwa deserved better. Hell, Seonghwa deserved an actual soulmate instead of someone like Hongjoong. 

They had picked a location that was remote enough so that there wouldn’t be people around at night. But one that would be believable enough for a crime scene. It was in a district Seonghwa would know Hongjoong would have actual business in at times. They had to make sure a crime case couldn’t be solved, but that it wouldn’t be too clear that something was off. 

It was just Yunho with him, the others promising they would be there for him after they were done. Hongjoong glanced around in the dark alley, trying to calm his nerves.

This was really happening. 

While he was looking forward to being free from his current miserable life and the chain that was the soulmate marks, it didn’t make him any less nervous. 

Yunho seemed to sense it, as he leaned closer.

”Are you absolutely sure?” he asked. Hongjoong shivered, even though his voice was nothing but caring and considerate. He nodded.

”Words.”

”I’m sure.”

”Alright. Remember what to do?”

Yunho had walked him through the process several times before they had gotten to this point. So many times that he was certain he could recite the entire process by heart if someone asked.

_ I’m going to feed you some of my blood, and I have to drain you from almost all of your blood.  _

Hongjoong nodded, leaning against the wall. Yunho’s hair tickled his chin as the vampire bent down to have access to his neck. He felt soft lips ghosting over the small stars. 

”They’re in a perfect spot to bite over”, Yunho murmured. Hongjoong had to agree, they were almost positioned like a classic vampire bite he had seen in movies or comics. There was something oddly appropriate in it. 

”Last chance.”

Hongjoong inhaled, long and deep. No turning back. He had to do this. No matter how badly his legs were shaking. 

”I’m ready.”

He hissed in pain as he felt sharp teeth pierce his neck, Yunho’s mouth latching on his skin. Despite his words he hadn’t expected him to do it  _ immediately _ , as the other had until now seemed more of the type who liked to take his time. Then again, had Hongjoong been the one doing the turning, he reckoned he too would have wanted to get through it as quickly as possible. 

The pain dulled after a little while, but the continuous feeling of Yunho gulping down his blood was strange, to say the least. Moment by moment he was really starting to feel the blood loss, as Hongjoong quickly got light-headed and would probably have fallen to the ground if it wasn’t for Yunho holding him up, gentle yet firm. 

He barely registered him stopping all of a sudden and opened his eyes, not remembering at which point he had closed them. It was hard to see anything, but he did notice Yunho lifting an arm to his mouth, pressing in with his fangs.

”You need to drink, now”, he sounded a little out of breath as he pushed his bleeding wrist against Hongjoong’s lips and placed his own mouth back on the bleeding neck wound. Hongjoong did not have enough energy or concentration to even think of a response, so he just obeyed, opening his mouth and placing it on the wound Yunho had opened for him. He grimaced at the strong taste of iron as the first drops landed on his tongue. While the other vampires in Yunho’s coven had made remarks of Yunho’s blood being tasty, he did not get the appeal. At least for now. Perhaps it tasted different for vampires. 

He didn’t know how much blood Yunho needed him to take, but he kept on drinking, despite the unpleasantness of it. Until finally the bloody wrist was drawn away from him.

He was feeling so cold. Even Yunho’s presence didn’t really help, his body didn’t seem to emit any warmth at all. Hongjoong was shaking, his instincts screaming to fight back, even when he knew it was way too late to even think of it.

This is what he had signed up for. He knew it would be unpleasant.

He figured dying wouldn’t ever be pleasant in the first place.

”It’s okay, you won’t feel anything soon”, Yunho whispered into his ear as he pulled away from his neck. He felt the blood trickle from the open wound, staining his clothes. 

”I’ll be here the whole time, and I will be there when you wake up”, Yunho promised, carefully pulling him away from the wall and helping him sit down, of which Hongjoong was grateful, as he didn’t feel like his legs could carry him anymore. The vampire propped down next to him.

How much blood had Yunho taken from him already...? Could he even suck him entirely dry or did vampires have their limits? Hongjoong refused to look at the other’s blood-stained face. In fact, his eyes refused to focus on anything at all. It was getting hard to keep them open.

He felt a hand in his hair, stroking gently and moving down to his face. He wanted to lean on it. 

”You taste very good”, Yunho commented, as if trying to comfort him. Hongjoong wanted to laugh. He was about to  _ die _ . Then again, if and when everything went according to plan... that state was not supposed to be permanent. 

His mind had been consistently getting foggier, as if he was falling asleep, the aching of the wound feeling strangely distant. It was hard to focus on what Yunho was saying as he kept talking, but Hongjoong assumed they were the same reassurances the other had been offering him for the entire short time they had known each other. Yunho would stay with him until he was dead. And he would be there when he would wake up again, transformed. 

As the sleep took over, Hongjoong let it, leaning on Yunho’s shoulder. The pain was fading away.

***

Slow death caused by loss of blood wasn’t exactly pleasant. But what Hongjoong had not expected was that even the act of waking up would be just as, if not more, painful. 

Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad, if it weren’t for the horrible pain in his mouth. Why was his mouth hurting so much? 

Hongjoong snapped his eyes open, but there was not much to see around him, he was surrounded by darkness. Vaguely, through the pain, he could feel some kind of plastic wrapped around him. Where was he? 

And what was it that was rolling around in his mouth?

He tried to rise up to a sitting position with no success, while at the same time trying to feel around with his tongue and pray the horrible pain in his gums would go away. There was a vague taste of blood in his mouth along with a couple of small, smooth objects with slightly sharp edges...

Hongjoong felt bile rise up in his throat as the realization dawned on him and he struggled to get out of whatever he was inside of. 

Teeth. There were several loose teeth in his mouth.  _ His own teeth that had fallen out. _

He needed to get them out. But there was practically no space for him to even move. He only managed to slam a hand in front of his mouth as he was assaulted with the rising contents of his stomach and the horrible pain radiating from his mouth that hadn’t stopped for a second. 

It was at that moment when he felt two hands grab him through the thick coat of plastic that was surrounding him from all sides. Even through his panic and agony he heard the sound of a zipper opening. 

”Hongjoong? Hongjoong?” someone was calling out his name, grabbing him once more as he trashed around, trying to get out of the plastic death trap. The moment his upper body finally had enough space to move, he pushed himself up and spat. The teeth landed on his hand, finally out of his mouth but not any less gross. It was getting harder and harder to fight the urge to throw up. The hands holding his arms moved to his shoulders, rubbing them in a calming manner.

”I know it hurts. It’ll pass soon, it’s okay... try to calm down...”

Yunho. He finally claimed enough coherence to connect the voice to a person. Yunho was here with him. Here... wherever he was. Hongjoong pulled his hand away from his mouth, letting the teeth fall onto the floor. There were several and he winced at the sound of them dropping. How many had he just lost? He would have liked to know but he was scared to open his mouth again or even try to feel around with his tongue anymore. 

To his relief, the horrible pain was starting to slowly fade, at least, along with the nausea. Hongjoong was sure, however, that if he laid eyes on those fallen teeth once more, the latter would come crashing back. 

He tried to focus on Yunho’s hands that were still rubbing his shoulders. They were large and felt cool against his bare skin. 

A sudden sting in his gums once more had him wincing in pain.

”It’s just your fangs growing”, Yunho’s voice said quietly next to his ear.   
”The pain will go away soon, but you need to feed when they’re in place...”

Hongjoong didn’t trust his voice to work at the moment, so all he managed in response was a shaky nod. Now that the pain had gotten down to the levels of almost bearable, he took the opportunity to look around.

It was still dark, but he could now see his surroundings much clearer. It was a large room with white walls and steely surfaces, reminding him of a hospital. He glanced at the black mass of plastic that was still holding his legs hostage. A body bag? Yes, definitely a body bag.

He had been brought to a morgue. Their plan had worked. 

At some point Yunho finally moved away from him, instead kneeling down on the floor. Hongjoong looked away as he started picking up the teeth he had spat out. 

”Keep those away from me”, he managed weakly, hearing a hum in response.

”I will, but I can’t leave them here either. I’ve paid off the employees here, but we have to make sure there is no evidence left”, Yunho replied, standing up and pocketing the teeth.   
”Now, how do you feel?”

Hongjoong blinked, taking a moment to assess himself. How was he feeling?

”It still hurts”, he said truthfully.   
”But it’s not as bad as it was a while ago...”

He slowly glided his tongue across his teeth, fearing he would find empty spots. Instead the organ met new, sharper teeth that still felt quite tender.

He had truly transformed. He had become a vampire. 

”Do you think you can take your first bite?” Yunho asked, rolling up his sleeve as he sat down next to him.   
”It’s better to start early in my opinion, before the hunger of the newborn crashes onto you all at once. It’s very easy to lose control then.”

Hongjoong spent another moment trying to get a feel of his new teeth, resisting the impulse to poke them with his fingers. It would likely hurt, but maybe they wouldn’t at least fall off... if he bit someone.

He was going to have to bite someone. Of course he had known it all along, that it would eventually happen, but he thought he would have been more ready for it. 

”Do we need to find someone to...” he started, but cut himself off as Yunho shook his head, smiling at him.

”I am your sire and I promised to take care of you, remember? You can take your first bite from me.”

He offered his arm, placing it close to Hongjoong’s mouth. The latter stared at it for a while.

”Is it really okay... so soon?” he asked, unsure.

”As I said, it’s better to do it before you’re struck with hunger. Not that I couldn’t stop you any time I wanted, but it’s easier for you to learn how to control yourself when your mind is a little clearer.”

Hongjoong wasn’t sure whether his mind was all that clear. However, all this time, he had been able to place his trust on Yunho, and that didn’t seem like something that wouldn’t change any time soon.

He felt his new fangs ache as he pulled his sire’s arm closer, trying to feel for the vein. Somewhere from the back of his mind he could feel the urge to bite down emerging. 

He opened his mouth, sinking his fangs into the flesh, the taste of blood flooding his tongue. Yunho barely even flinched. He must have done this before several, Hongjoong vaguely thought, swallowing down the blood that was steadily filling his mouth as he sucked the wound. The taste wasn’t as unpleasant as he recalled it being at the moment he had gotten the first taste of it. When he had still been human. Something had changed, the overwhelming flavor of iron being was almost nonexistent. It was replaced with something very sweet, unlike anything Hongjoong had tasted before. He kind of understood Wooyoung’s earlier remarks now. Yunho was indeed very tasty. 

Yunho’s other hand stroked his hair gently, encouragingly.

”You’re doing great”, he praised.   
”Now, pull away.”

Hongjoong did, however a little reluctantly, now that he had realized he did like the taste. As he pulled his fangs away from the wound, he realized the pain in his mouth had faded away almost completely, leaving only the slight tenderness of his new teeth. 

”Good. Now, you can close the wound with your tongue. Try it, swipe over it.”

To his surprise, that was exactly what happened when he tongued over the bite marks. He lifted his head to see Yunho look at him fondly, like a proud parent would look at their child. 

”What do we do now?” Hongjoong asked, glancing around at the morgue. Yunho reached down to the floor, picking up a black duffel bag. 

”I got you some clothes here. Dress up and we can leave to set up your new life.”

A new life. It sounded so grandiose and glamorous. Not exactly how Hongjoong felt as he hid his hair under a large hood when they walked out with Yunho through the back door. Where they found Wooyoung standing, smiling brightly at them.

”Good morning, newborn.”

***

Yunho had made some demands of what he had to do in exchange for turning him. Surprisingly, he had actually told him he wasn’t exactly required to join their coven after his transformation. He was free to leave if he wished, after he’d been taught how to handle himself, of course, so he wouldn’t cause trouble. However, the coven was welcoming him with open arms if he wished. 

Hongjoong hadn’t actually thought of it when he had gone to request help, but now that he had been turned, the decision had been easy to make. He wasn’t exactly a loner, and now that he couldn’t go back to any of the people from his old life - not that there had been many, living in the city had been kind of lonely and he wasn’t exactly in good terms with his family - some new friends and family sounded like something he needed.

Yunho had been overjoyed when he had expressed his willingness to stay.

”Then, let’s discuss the other favors I want in return”, he had grinned.

That favor had ended up having a lot to do with his profession. If there was something Hongjoong kind of mourned the loss of, it was his promising career as an artist. Technically, he could still continue, but he would have to make up an alias and start building everything from scratch once more. Maybe in that sense it was a blessing that he had been more known for being Park Seonghwa’s soulmate than from his art. 

Yunho’s requested favor had thankfully been something Hongjoong was very happy to do. 

”I’d like the VIP room to have something on the walls”, the coven leader had explained.  
”Like a mural? Have you ever painted those?”

”Once”, was Hongjoong’s response.  
”What would you like?”

They had settled on a theme of a magical carnival or circus. Yunho had given him a lot of freedom, joking about how he had to respect an artist’s vision. Hongjoong had gotten to work as soon as they had the materials ready. 

Currently he was alone in the VIP room, having a break from painting. One of the walls was already halfway done, as he had worked long hours. Being a vampire seemed to have a perk of never really getting too tired or exhausted. The other coven members came around a lot as well, hanging out in the space with him, striking up conversation or sometimes, especially in the case of Yeosang and Jongho, simply sitting there and working on something in quiet while watching him paint. Hongjoong wasn’t entirely sure what the others did during the days, but apparently some of it contained running the club, as it was under Yunho’s ownership. But judging from Wooyoung’s mutterings, that was only one of their ventures. 

Hongjoong picked up his new phone, provided to him by Jongho, as his old one was probably lost somewhere in the police station’s evidence room, and even if he’d still had it, using it would have been risky. 

He had closely followed the news centered around his death. How the investigation wasn’t really going anywhere, despite the urging of the Park family who were deeply shocked by the fate of their future son-in-law. There were a few theories thrown around, none of them thankfully suggesting vampires. Yunho had been thorough in the fabrication of the crime scene, creating a display that had suggested a struggle. He had even gone as far as to slice the bite wound with a knife after Hongjoong had died to hide it. 

Hongjoong ran his hand over the spot. While it was suggested everywhere that vampires would have superior healing abilities, where there had earlier been two golden stars, now ran a large-ish scar. Perhaps out of habit, or because it now felt more appropriate than ever, he had placed another blue band-aid over it. It didn’t hide the scar one bit, but its presence felt oddly comforting. He picked on its edge.

He would rip it off eventually, but couldn’t do it just yet. 

Besides the news, there were lots of discussions. People making wild guesses about what had gone down, assuming everything from a drug problem to dealings with organized crime. 

A lot of the rumors were dragging Seonghwa into the equation, of course. Since he was the more famous of them. Many were expressing their sympathy over the loss of a soulmate, others finding the radio silence from his end suspicious. More than once had Hongjoong stumbled upon comments suggesting that Seonghwa and Hongjoong had resented each other, some going as far as to claim that Seonghwa had something to do with Hongjoong’s death. 

If he had been in a position to say anything in Seonghwa’s defense, he might have done so. Seonghwa had suffered enough, he didn’t deserve that kind of gross insinuations directed at him, especially since he was likely grieving.

Hongjoong felt the pang of guilt smack him in the chest once more. 

”Do you regret what you did?”

Hongjoong startled on the floor at the sudden voice, spinning around to see Yunho at the door. The man could move incredibly quietly if he wished, it was definitely his most unnerving feature. 

The second most unnerving feature was that he could so often figure out what Hongjoong was thinking, but after it had been explained to him, he had come to accept it. As a coven leader who had turned each of them into vampires, Yunho had access to their emotions and thoughts in some capacity. Never to truly breach their privacy, he had assured, but some of it always bled over to his side, so he would know how they felt and often what they thought as well. 

Hongjoong forced himself to not pick on the band-aid’s edge. Instead he ran his hand through his hair. It was a shame he’d had to re-dye it so soon. He had liked the blue, but it was too recognizable.

”No”, he replied, truthfully.   
”I’m happy that I did this, I like it here.”

”Yet you can’t quite let go”, Yunho stated, circling to the couch and sitting down. Hongjoong felt his eyes direct at the band-aid.

”I guess so”, he nodded.   
”But it’s like you and Yeosang said. I have to make it up for him.”

”You don’t _have_ to”, Yunho shrugged.   
”But he’s a good person, so if there is a way to ease his pain, you’d want to do it.”

Precisely. And Hongjoong thought he had figured out a way. 

”I need to buy a new canvas”, he said. 

”This place is steadily transforming into your new studio, it seems”, Yunho chuckled.

”I don’t see any of you complaining.” 

***

The living room was fuller than Mingi had ever seen it before. Everywhere he looked he saw canvases, some of them blank, some of them not. There were even some finished paintings. In addition there were stacks of art supplies, paints and brushes on almost every surface. He had gone with Seonghwa to empty Hongjoong’s studio. Since the man was dead, he obviously didn’t need it anymore. Seonghwa had been the one to finance it for him and there was no need to pay for it any longer. But as for now, they hadn’t bothered to rent a storage space and instead brought everything to Seonghwa’s apartment.

”Are you going to keep all this?” Mingi asked, gesturing at the paintings. Seonghwa had sat down on the couch, his eyes on them as well. While he was still a lot more quiet and prone to some spontaneous tears and moments of melancholy every once in a while, Mingi was happy to see him at least crack a small smile every now and then, and at least he was adhering to his usual daily routines. 

”For now”, Seonghwa nodded.   
”Maybe I can auction them for charity at some point... he would have probably liked that.”

It sounded like a good idea. If someone asked Mingi, it didn’t seem healthy to keep a constant reminder of a dead soulmate - who had never even loved Seonghwa - around.

”Some local art school could probably take the extra paints”, he suggested, receiving a nod.

”Maybe... I don’t know, I don’t think I can make any decision yet.”

He had a point. The funeral arrangements hadn’t even been made, even though it had been weeks, as there was a slight issue with who even was supposed to handle them. Seonghwa’s parents had of course volunteered, but from what Mingi had heard from Seonghwa, Hongjoong’s family was not easy to contact and apparently there had been some issues between the parents and their son, which made the situation all the more complicated. Oddly fitting, Mingi thought. After all, nothing had been simple with Kim Hongjoong. 

Mingi sat down next to Seonghwa, who seemed to instinctively lean on him, placing his face against his shoulder. He could still see the blue band-aid covering the soulmate marks. Would the marks even be there after one soulmate died? Mingi wasn’t sure, but he thought that was probably what Seonghwa did not want to find out.

He pulled out his phone, mindlessly scrolling through the news feed. The news surrounding Hongjoong’s case had finally dialed down, and the police were barely communicating with the Parks anymore. And along with the news the disgusting rumors of Seonghwa’s possible involvement had faded away. Mingi had felt his blood boil every time he had seen them.

Seonghwa would never hurt anyone. If they only knew how much he had tried to do for Hongjoong... who didn’t even want a soulmate. 

Mingi didn’t have one, but had he been in Hongjoong’s place, he would certainly have cherished someone like Seonghwa. 

However, as much as Hongjoong and his stupid attitude had annoyed him, Mingi couldn’t help but feel the need to get closure on his death. It was obvious there was something fishy going on. Why else would the investigation be so slow and the evidence so sparse? 

There was unfortunately very little he could do. So he mostly settled on gentle probing every time he got the chance and being there for Seonghwa. Which had led into him basically moving in. He didn’t mind. Seonghwa’s bed was comfortable and had a lot of space, and he wasn’t bothered by the fact that the older man was very cuddly in his sleep. 

They had moved on to moving around some of Hongjoong’s stuff out of the way and making dinner when the doorbell rang.

”You want me to answer that?” Mingi asked.

”No, I can do that”, Seonghwa shook his head, drying his hands quickly to the towel and hurrying to the door. Mingi returned to watch over their noodles as he tried to listen in. Usually anyone who had any business with Seonghwa would call first before coming over. And it was getting quite late...

”Good evening”, he heard a deep voice say. Mingi slowly backed away from the stove and tiptoed away from the kitchen to the living room to see who was at the door. Over Seonghwa’s shoulder he could see two men standing in the doorway. 

”We have a delivery for Park Seonghwa”, a doll-like blonde man continued with that same deep voice. The voice-body mismatch was almost comical to Mingi. 

”... I haven’t ordered anything?” Seonghwa said, confused. The other man, more strong-looking redhead, lifted the package in their hands. It was big and rectangle-shaped, but at the same time quite thin. It reminded Mingi of something...

”It is a gift”, the redhead clarified.   
”Can I leave it here somewhere or...?”

”Ah, yes, of course...”

Seonghwa took the package for himself, setting it against the shoe rack.

”May I ask who sent it?” Mingi didn’t see his face, but he could easily picture his friend giving suspicious looks to these two men. Both of whom smiled back.

”He would rather we didn’t tell”, the blonde replied.   
”But I believe that the gift itself will prove enlightening. Have a good evening.”

Neither Seonghwa or Mingi didn’t have time to demand any more explanations when the two closed the door themselves and they could hear their footsteps hurrying down the stairs. Mingi laid his eyes again on the package.

”Wait...”

For this whole time he had felt like there was something strange going on. And now Seonghwa had received a package... that clearly contained a painting.

One look at Seonghwa’s face told him that he had thought of the same thing.

Their dinner forgotten, they carried the package to the living room and tore it open almost impossibly fast. On his side, Mingi heard Seonghwa gasp as he took in the sight.

It was indeed a painting, and a beautiful one, at that. It seemed to be portraying some rather dark but beautiful place, a garden at night, perhaps? But what caught Mingi’s attention were the flock of blue butterflies that seemed to have a faint glow, illuminating the otherwise dark space. 

”It can’t be...” Seonghwa whispered faintly as he gently touched the painting’s surface. It was then that Mingi took a closer look at the butterflies.

From afar you maybe could miss it, but when he looked again, he could see that the blue butterflies were made of band-aids. 

They both glanced at the lower right corner to see a familiar signature. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> As always, your kudos and comments are most appreciated!
> 
> Thank you for reading <33
> 
> Twt: [@Absmare](https://twitter.com/Absmare)  
> Cc: [@Absmare](https://curiouscat.qa/Absmare)


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